Wednesday, February 25, 2015

“The
corporate revolution will collapse if we refuse to buy what they are selling –
their ideas, their version of history, their wars, their weapons, their notion
of inevitability.

Remember this: We be many and they be few. They need us more than we need them.

Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can
hear her breathing.” – Arundhati Roy

Often when I think about the industrial agribusiness complex we are standing up
against, it feels like an enormous wall looming over me, so immense that it can
block out virtually all the light. Just the shadow from it alone can make me feel
utterly powerless. From the marketing that is so ubiquitous as to be invisible to
the government collusion that keeps the price of animal flesh, dairy and eggs down,
it’s very tempting for those of us who are advocating on behalf of the animals
our society brutalizes to want to just hide under the covers for a day or a
week or, you know, a lifetime when we think about what we are up against.

If I reimagine animal agribusiness as a tripod, though, rather than an unscalable
wall, and I use this framing to inform my efforts, suddenly I have something to
work with rather than struggle against. With this framing, I think we will make
significant inroads to turning the tide. Animal agriculture is like a tripod
that is stabilized by three powerful legs: two of them are the interests of
government and industry, which work together to make the products of
agribusiness widely accessible, inexpensive and normalized. What is the third
leg? It’s so obvious that we often overlook it. It’s us.

With
all my years of studying the industry, I can’t help but notice that there are,
in fact, many deep cracks that crisscross its veneer of impenetrability, extensive
enough that it is actually my belief that animal agribusiness is a lot less
secure and stable than it gives the impression of being. If we were to withdraw
our participation and help others to do the same, we would effectively send the
whole jerry-rigged system tumbling like the giant house of cards that it is. Without
knocking out the leg of our participation, the machine keeps running as it has.
With the knocking out of that single leg, we would be kicking over the entire tripod
that underpins and props up agribusiness.

When we think about the power that the government and industry wield, not to
mention the other very formidable sectors within them, like the medical
industry and the lobbying sphere, these mutually vested interests become
Orwellian abstractions that are almost impossible to comprehend, much less feel
equipped to take on. While I don’t want to underestimate or downplay the tremendous
influence of these systems, I stand by the assertion that they are still fully subject to our participation. In
other words, if we concentrate our efforts on disconnecting consumer support from
animal agribusiness, it doesn't stand a chance of continuing.

This is not to say that industry and government – with their marketing,
resources, influence, deception, deep pockets – aren’t forceful opponents. They
are and they are so monolithic as to seem impervious. I understand the feelings
of despair and hopelessness we feel when we think of their supposed inescapability
and this is why we should concentrate our efforts on that third leg, because it
is real and it can be influenced. By going directly to people and helping them
to withdraw their support of animal agribusiness, we are circumventing these parties
that may have all the power in the world but cannot force products or practices
upon a public that is unwilling to buy. They have used and will continue to use
their best tools to keep the machine running as it is but if we divest and
continue to chip deeper fissures into the industry’s façade of impenetrability,
it will eventually collapse under its own weight.

That third essential leg – the stabilizing of the entire industry – is
maintained by our participation: this is influenced by habit, tradition,
culture, convenience, familiarity, discomfort with change, even memories. If we
continue to make it easier and easier for people through education, great food,
affordability, access to information, community and excellent resources, we
will be cutting off the very lifeblood of participation that agribusiness needs
in order to continue. In other words, each time we make it easier, more
appealing, more levelheaded and more undeniably rewarding to unplug from
agribusiness and plug into veganism, we weaken the giant machine that depends
on our participation and we strengthen the vegan movement’s inevitability.

In her beautiful book on the practice of writing, Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott wrote of her brother, ten at the time,
who was completely overwhelmed by a large book report he had put off until the
last minute to write. Books and resource materials, paper and pencils were
splayed out around him as he sat at the kitchen table, barely holding it
together. Her father put his arm around her brother and said, “Bird by bird,
buddy. Just take it bird by bird.” This is the approach we need to take as
well: person by person. If we continue to apply our talents, resources, attention
and acumen to knocking out that third leg, I have no doubt that the entire
tripod, propped up by us through our undergirding of cooperation, will crash.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

In order to introduce author Ricki Heller,
I have to take a kind of long and circuitous path, sort of like a large
intestine. This simile will make more sense in a minute, trust me.

First, I’ll start by saying that someone can be a health-focused vegan and
still not thrive optimally. Any number of equal opportunity afflictions from
chronic headaches to Crohn’s disease can strike even the most health conscious of
us, though we may have reduced the likelihood and intensity of these maladies
by choosing antioxidant-rich, nutritionally-dense plant foods. Ailments still
happen, though, as we are not perfect machines. These problems can make some of
us – even those of us who rarely get sick – feel like failures when all the
alleged health benefits of veganism don’t exactly kick in as promised.

Take yeast overgrowth, for example. Candida
albicans is a normal part of the healthy gut flora but for those who have CRC,
or candida-related complex (including myself), this yeast has become very
aggressive and voracious, resulting in the damaging of the intestinal wall,
causing sexy yeast byproducts and undigested food to penetrate the bloodstream.
The end result of this yeast overgrowth can manifest in a profusion maladies: bloating,
fatigue, escalating food sensitivities, weight gain, abdominal pain, skin irritations
(including breakouts, rashes, eczema and hives), pervasive aches and pains, mental
fog, anxiety and depression are just some of the consequences that often worsen
over time due to candida overgrowth. Fun, glamorous stuff. Despite the
persistence and discomfort of most of the symptoms of CRC, they fall under the vague
terms of “malaise” and are not typically recognized by mainstream medical
professionals, which creates even more of a silencing effect around this poorly
understood condition, as if anything connected to the words yeast overgrowth didn’t already do that
enough. To make matters worse, those of us in the vegan community who look to
alternative healing modalities (many after being brushed off by conventional
medical doctors) often find ourselves in a bizarre wasteland of Weston A. Price
Foundation/Paleo recommendations, which are decidedly not animal-friendly and
reek of quackery.

Thankfully, we have Ricki Heller to the rescue. Ricki, a registered holistic
nutritionist, describes in her new book, Living Candida-Free: Conquer the Hidden Epidemic that’s Making You Sick,
a longtime struggle with symptoms of yeast overgrowth and a worsening rash that
eventually covered her torso as she had ineffective cream after ineffective
cream prescribed to her by multiple doctors. Her personal experience with
identifying and healing from CRC has made her something of a candida guru over
the years. Her very informative new book offers her wisdom and experience, as
well as more than 100 accessible recipes that go with her three-stage program
to combat yeast overgrowth. Living
Candida-Free is further bolstered by the explanatory chapter written by
functional nutritionist Andrea Nakayama, who expertly takes this complicated
and confusing subject and makes it comprehensible. Those of us with CRC finally
have an excellent resource and plan of action for restoring vitality and
wellness. For helping people who suffer from CRC find a real
path to wellness without harming animals, Ricki Heller is a true vegan foodie
and a rockstar.

1. How did you start down this path of
creating delicious food? Was a love for food nurtured into you? Did you have
any special relatives or mentors who helped to instill this passion?

Baking was certainly something
that ran in my family. My aunt was a caterer, and my mom was a consummate
from-scratch baker. As a result, I grew up in a home that had lots of homemade
baked goods around all the time, and my sisters and I learned to bake from a
young age. Fairly early on, that love extended to food in general, and once I
went away to university and lived on my own, I really began to experiment with
cooking new and different dishes. I think living in Toronto, the most
multi-cultural city in the world, helps too, as there is a plethora of
restaurants available for anyone who wants to explore different cuisines.
2. What was your diet like when you were growing up? Did you have any favorite
meals or meal traditions? Do you carry them over today?

What’s funny is that my mother
wasn’t the best cook even though she did make everything from scratch. So I
grew up on a fairly bland, typically North American diet of mostly meat and
vegetables. Because my dad was a butcher, we had meat pretty much every day. I
think that the typical rebellious nature of kids took hold and my sisters and I
actually loved processed, packaged and prepared foods much more than the real
foods we were getting at home. So, as soon as I was able, I started buying junk
food outside the home, going to McDonald’s with friends, and so on. That led to
some pretty abysmal eating habits in my 20s and 30s!

We rarely ate dinner together as
a family because my dad’s hours were so crazy (he often didn’t get home until
8:30 or 9:00 PM), so we kids learned to grab what we could by ourselves on
weeknights. So we established a Sunday brunch tradition in the house, because
that was the one time we could count on everyone to be there at the same time.
I guess that sort of did translate to my current preferences, since breakfast
and brunch remain my favorite meals of the day.

3. What is the best vegan meal you've ever had? Give us all the details!

There’s an upscale restaurant
near where I live called Terra, which used to offer a 7-course tasting menu
with wine accompaniments. One year, my husband and I went for our anniversary,
and he had the omnivore version while I ordered the vegan version. It was
spectacular! I remember a roasted chickpea appetizer, a fabulous glazed sweet
potato side dish, Portobello steak, and incredible chocolate truffles for
dessert, among other things. We wanted to have it the following year, too, but
by then they had stopped serving it.

A close second would be my first
visit to Pure Food and Wine in New York City. That was another phenomenal meal,
made even better by the group of fellow bloggers with whom my husband and I
shared our evening.

4. If you could prepare one meal or dessert for anyone living or dead, who
would it be for and what would you create?

The dessert would likely be a
seven-layer chocolate affair with all kinds of buttercream and shaved
chocolate. I imagine a dinner party with Dorothy Parker wouldn’t be boring (but
then I’d want to invite the rest of the Algonquin Round Table, too)!
5. What do you think are common mistakes in vegan cooking and how do you avoid
them?

That’s a tough one for me because
I love vegan food so much, I kind of just like it all! I don’t know how common
this is, but since I’m a baker by nature, I tend to notice flaws in baked goods
the most. One thing I used to find when I would buy baked goods was how they
were flat or heavy on occasion. I think that’s because vegan baked goods
require extra lift—leaveners like baking powder and baking soda—since they’re
lacking the leavening power that’s usually supplied by eggs. But I think the
quality of prepared vegan baked goods, and vegan food in general, has come a
long way since I first started eating this way back in the ‘80s!

6. What ingredients are you especially excited about at the
moment?

My latest ingredient love is
psyllium husks. Not
very sexy, but this plant husk is a great alternative to xanthan gum or guar
gum for gluten-free baking. It also happens to be helpful as an anti-candida
food, so I try to use it as often as I can.
7. You are restricted to one ethnic cuisine for the rest of your life. What
would you like it to be?

I think I’d love Ethiopian food.
It’s naturally gluten-free and plant-heavy, and there seems to be an infinite
variety of Ethiopian dishes available to try. Plus, I’ve loved every Ethiopian
meal I’ve ever eaten.
8. Who or what has been most influential to you on your vegan path?
Individuals, groups, books, films, etc. included.

Once I realized that the diet I
preferred was something called “vegan,” I sought out vegan cookbooks. The first
one I found that also fit my dietary restrictions at the time was SimpleTreats by Ellen Abraham and that had a profound influence on my baking. In fact, Abraham’s book was,
in part, the inspiration for my own organic bakery, Bake It Healthy. I also
loved Dreena Burton’s books from day one and
still find that her recipes always appeal to me, and are perfectly reliable
every time.

Starting my blog also opened up
an entire world of vegan connections that I would never otherwise have had. I’m
so grateful for all the friends I’ve made through my blog, some of whom have
become friends offline as well.
9. What issue is nearest and dearest to your heart that you would like people
to know more about?

Well, given where I’ve been
putting my attention lately, it would have to be candida.
This syndrome (caused by too much yeast in the body) is one that is thankfully
gaining more attention in the media, but still has a ways to go before it’s
recognized by conventional medicine as a bona fide illness. Because it’s so
often an “invisible illness” with no overt signs, people can be labeled as
hypochondriacs or overly anxious and doctors believe there’s nothing wrong with
them. And getting treatment is double difficult for anyone on a plant-based
diet, since almost all of the common anti-candida diets out there are closer to
Paleo than vegan. I wanted to prove that you can beat candida on a vegan diet.
It’s eminently doable!
10. Last, please finish this sentence. "To me, veganism is…"

Veganism
is finally gaining recognition and coming into its own in the world.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Imagine for a moment a scene in which a turtle is talking to another turtle
about a nearby rabbit. They are in a little vegetable garden together, and the main
turtle, let’s call him Sheldon, nudges his friend, let’s call her Shelley,
indicating the rabbit with his wrinkly turtle head.“See that guy over there with the long
ears?” asks Sheldon.

“You mean the non-turtle animal?” asks
Shelley.

“Yes, that one. He seems to really like the carrots,” says Sheldon.

With Shelley’s framing, the rabbit has been described by what he is not, which,
in this case, is not a turtle. This framing positions turtles as not only the
dominant species but also the main benchmark by which this other being in the
garden, the rabbit, is understood. When other beings are filtered and described
through a lens that ineluctably points back at those who are describing them,
they are, in effect, measured against another’s contours. It isn’t too much of
a stretch to imagine why a vegan would find this kind of structuring
problematic. At best, it is sloppy and at worst, it is another example of anthropocentric
arrogance.

The phrase non-human animals is an
example of a thoughtful restructuring of language, created to challenge how we
conceptualize ourselves and it is used by vegans as a way to remind people
that, yes, humans are animals, too. The intention behind using it is a good one.
Despite this, I have always done my best to avoid the phrase because it sounds
and looks and sounds clunky to me but I have used it when I felt it was better
than the common alternative, which is the distorted separation of “people” and “animals”
in our language, as if we were not also animals. A few years ago, though, I
realized that there was something else that bothered me about the phrase, and
it wasn’t just an aesthetic one. Once I fully worked out the problems with the
phrase, I stopped using it altogether and I think other vegans should consider
doing the same. Here's why: I believe that when we say “non-human animals,” we are unintentionally
reinforcing the same human-as-center-of-the-world conceit that underpins the mindset
that allows for the domination of other animal species. Remember that rabbit?
His own autonomy vanished when viewed through distinctly turtle-centered lenses:
he was no longer a rabbit, he was some other entity that was simply not a
turtle.

Given the enormity of what other animals face, I will admit that this sounds
like a trivial thing to get hung up on. I would argue, though, that as we move
ahead in re-conceptualizing coexistence, the language that we use is of critical
importance. The theory of linguistic determinism posits that the words we use
shape and even help to determine
human thought. As the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein observed plainly,
“Language disguises thought.” The thought that is disguised by that ungainly
(but, again, well-intentioned) phrase is that other animals disappear and are replaced
by our own example as the dominant point of reference.

The words we choose have real consequences and these consequences can inadvertently
reinforce the very status quo that we are trying to dismantle. It
is a minor alteration, but I think we should leave behind the expression "non-human
animal." Ask yourself if you would like to be referred to as a non-male human
being (if you’re not a male) or a non-white homo sapiens if you were not
Caucasian. Can you see how a ripple effect of such framing could diminish
your own rights to sovereignty and equality, as well as reveal an intrinsic partiality
that necessarily denigrates those who aren’t part of the dominant standard?

Given all this, I
propose that we rethink using the term “non-human animal” and come up with
something that is more respectful and less self-absorbed. Of course contexts always
vary, but when we are trying to communicate that we are not talking about
humans (who are also animals) but other animals, I propose that we say
something along the lines of other
animals or other beings. I’ve
heard others who say fellow animals. That works, too, but to me it sounds a
little precious. Other animals has
its flaws, too, as there is a built-in “othering” element that distances and leaves
room for objectification but this is the best that I have arrived at so far.

Your thoughts are
appreciated. What do you think about the expression “non-human animals”? Do you
have a preferred alternative?

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

GinnyKisch Messina is a bright, steady light of
compassionate, knowledgeable and dependable outreach in a culture often
overstuffed with flyaway bits-and-pieces of erroneous information. As a
respected registered dietitian, Ginny has instructed at the university level,
developed nutrition materials for many organizations, and co-authored a variety
of books that manage to make the subject of nutrition both accessible and
interesting to laypersons, such as with Vegan for Her
and Never Too Late to Go Vegan.
She also maintains a popular blog, which is a great source for nutritional
information and analysis.

A longtime vegan whose well-reasoned approach to nutrition is guided by the
latest in peer-reviewed research, Ginny doesn’t make far-fetched, easily refuted
claims, unlike the preponderance of various “wellness gurus” who claim that
their interpretation of the ideal vegan diet offers a magic bullet against disease
and illness. Ginny could probably have made a lot of money touting a specific
dietary plan as the onetrue path to wellness and staying slim,
but she has resisted this seductive siren’s call for something far more respectable,
though less personally lucrative: By reminding people that a vegan diet does
have some real health advantages, the fact remains that no one is indestructible,
and that creating exaggerated claims about veganism doesn’t do the cause or the
animals any good. Instead, by steadfastly chipping away at common myths and misconceptions,
while maintaining her principled, rigorously science-based approach to
nutrition, Ginny is creating something much better, and longer lasting, for the
world: An educated interpretation of the most current knowledge of plant-based
nutrition and a dedicated reminder that veganism is rooted in compassion, not
dietary faddishness. For these reasons and more, Ginny Kisch Messina is a vegan
rockstar.

1. First of all, we’d love to hear your “vegan evolution” story. How did you
start out? Did you have any early influences or experiences as a young person
that in retrospect helped to pave your path?

I really didn’t have any of those influences or experiences.
But for as long as I can remember, I’ve had a strong connection to animals and
an extreme reaction to their suffering. I just didn’t see my food and clothing
as having anything to do with that. While that seems mindboggling to me now, it
also makes me realize how important it is to help people see the food on their
plates as real animals. It’s hard, because we are so conditioned not to see
that.

I started connecting those dots when I was in my 20s and was
experimenting with vegetarian cooking just for fun. It had nothing to do with
animal cruelty - I knew nothing about factory farming at that time - but instead,
the idea of eating animal flesh suddenly felt simply wrong to me.

I didn’t learn about factory farming until I went to work a
few years later at PCRM in 1990. This was also my introduction to an animal
rights culture and to the whole concept of veganism which, until then, had felt
very extreme to me. So, while my heart had always been open to animals, my eyes
weren’t opened until well into adulthood.

2. Imagine that you are pre-vegan again: how could someone have talked to you
and what could they have said or shown you that could have been the most
effective way to have a positive influence on you moving toward veganism?

They could have shown me that my choices have a direct
effect on animals - their welfare and their rights. They could have shown me a
“why love one but eat the other” meme, which I think would have helped me to
make the connection. And they could have fed me some vegan mac ‘n cheese and a
good vegan brownie so I would have seen how little sacrifice is involved in
choosing a compassionate lifestyle.

3. What have you found to be the most effective way to
communicate your message as a vegan? For example, humor, passion, images, etc.?

People can’t do something if they don’t know how to do it, so
I’m a very big fan of food activism. Potential vegans need to taste great vegan
food. They need recipes for super easy meals (or really, they need meal ideas; most people don’t have time for
recipes). They need to know that vegan
diets include treats and comfort foods. I think it’s much easier to get someone
to hear a vegan message once they know that vegan food is good.

And then we simply need to get them to think about the
impact of their choices. Humor can be good for this, or any message that is a
little provocative. Vegan Street is great at this, of course, and I also love
the Vegan Sidekick cartoons.

4. What do you think are the biggest strengths of the vegan movement?

The fact that we have truth on our side. That this is a
movement built on values of justice and compassion. And that it is increasingly
easy to be vegan with really good food, incredible cookbooks, and some
exceptional convenience products.

5. What do you think are our biggest hindrances to getting
the word out effectively?

Probably the biggest one is that we are dealing with habits
and beliefs that are so deeply ingrained and we don’t have good data on what
works. We desperately need research on the best ways to promote veganism and to
help people stay vegan.

I think it might also be harmful in the long run when we overstate
the benefits of vegan diets in an effort to get more people to stop eating
animals. The idea that a vegan diet is the only healthy way to eat isn’t backed
by science and it’s probably not true. It’s a waste of valuable resources to
try to prove something that probably isn’t true. It also forces us to cherry
pick evidence and distort findings.I
worry that it detracts from the strengths of our movement - the integrity that is
at the root of an ethic of justice - when we misrepresent the science behind
nutrition.

Also, some of the bad nutrition information that circulates
on the internet and elsewhere can set people up to fail on a vegan diet. This
is largely why my work focuses on sharing the best guidelines - based on what we
know right now - for staying healthy on a vegan diet.

Finally, I think we need to stop making it so hard to be
vegan. We need to allow new vegans to sometimes fall short of their goals
without feeling that they have failed at being vegan. We need to drop the unwarranted
restrictions against veggie meats and soyfoods and vegetable oils and all of
the other things that fit very well in a healthy vegan diet and make this way
of eating a far more realistic choice. We need to avoid turning veganism into a
restrictive fad diet because restrictive fad diets generally don’t change the
world.

6. All of us need a “why vegan” elevator pitch. We’d love to
hear yours.

I’m vegan because there is always suffering and death behind
the use of animals for food and clothing. As long as there are alternatives - and
there are some pretty great ones - I just don’t feel that I can contribute to any
of that suffering. And because I’m a dietitian, I’m confident that vegan diets
are safe and nutritious.

7. Who are the people and what are the books, films,
websites and organizations that have had the greatest influence on your
veganism and your continuing evolution?

My evolution continues to be both professional as a vegan
nutritionist, and personal as an activist. On the professional side, those who
have had the biggest influence on my thinking and approach to nutrition are
Jack Norris, RD, Reed Mangels, PhD, RD and my husband Mark Messina, PhD. They
are my go-to experts for unbiased and critical perspectives on nutrition
research.

On the personal side, I’m inspired by many, many activists,
especially those doing grassroots activism - handing out leaflets and food
samples. And, of course, the very brave activists who shed light on what is
happening inside of farms and slaughterhouses.

I also read a lot of blogs and websites that provide
different perspectives - those focused on abolition, utilitarian approaches,
direct action, etc. I often find my own viewpoint challenged, and that’s good.
It relates back to my answer to question 5: We don’t have data on the best
tactics, and so we need to stay open to all experiences and viewpoints.

8. Burn-out is so common among vegans: what do you do to
unwind, recharge and inspire yourself?

Burnout, stress and depression are definitely issues for me
and so I try to maintain at least a little bit of balance. I do the usual
stuff - meditation and exercise. I keep a journal and have done so since I was a
teen. I read a lot for pleasure and that’s my absolutely most essential and
beneficial leisure activity. I’m learning to play piano and I crochet with
vegan fibers in the winter and garden in the summer. And sometimes I just have
a glass of wine and watch re-runs of Modern Family.

9. What is the issue nearest and
dearest to your heart that you would like others to know more about?

Advocating for homeless and feral cats. I volunteer at my
local animal shelter and am on the board of a local spay/neuter group. I’ve
done lots of TNR and cat fostering over the years. It’s really where my heart
is, but also, I think it’s so important to remember that veganism doesn’t start
and stop at your dinner plate. We have an obligation to all animals and
especially the ones in our own neighborhoods and communities.

10. Please finish this sentence:
“To me, being vegan is...”

A moral
imperative for those of us who are fortunate enough to have a choice about what
we eat and wear. A willingness to commit to an ethic of justice and compassion,
and to make choices that reflect that ethic.